Scott Hallgren

Scott Hallgren is an Associate Professor in the School of Media and Journalism at Kent State University, part of the College of Communication & Information. He specializes in sound design, music composition for media, and post-production sound. His professional career includes Emmy-nominated work, Telly Awards, and a Grammy committee role.

Educations:

• BA in Music (Jazz Piano), University of Miami, FL
• MMus in Composing for Picture, Seattle Film Institute

Research Focus: Hallgren’s work bridges artistic and technical aspects of audio in media. He teaches courses like Sound for Picture, Scoring for Film/TV/Games, and Production II (capstone). His expertise spans film, TV, gaming, and virtual reality sound design.

Awards/Honors:

• Paris Film Awards Best Original Score (2023)
• Independent Horror Movie Awards Best Music (2020)
• Bronze Telly (2017)
• Emmy nomination (2011)
• Grammy voter/committee member (2003–2011)

Advising/Grants: Hallgren’s industry roles include Design/Innovation Team Member (D/I Hub), Advisory Board member at Seattle Film Institute, and Board President of Mind Balloon Films. He has served on panels for film festivals in Seattle, Nashville, Cleveland, and Highland Square.

Labs/Teams: Active in the D/I Hub (focusing on surround sound, storytelling, and VR) and affiliated with the Motion Picture Sound Editors Guild.